and i think that the issue that we're dealing with right now on the fiscal cliff is a prime example of it. what i'm arguing for are maintaining tax cuts for 98% of americans. i don't think anybody would consider that some liberal left-wing agenda. that used to be considered a pretty mainstream republican agenda. and it's something that we can accomplish today if we simply allow for a vote in the senate and in the house to get it done. the fact that it's not happening is an indication of how far certain factions inside the republican party have gone where they can't even accept what used to be considered centrist, mainstream positions on these issues. now, i remain optimistic. i'm just a congenital optimist. that eventually people kind of see the light. winston churchill used to say that we americans, you know, we try every other option before we finally do the right thing. after everything else is exhausted, we eventually do the right thing. and i think that that's true for congress as well. and i think it's also important for americans to remember that politics has always been messy.